tibbles



(No Model.)

G. N. TIBBLBS. TRIISS.

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4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGEA N. TIBBLES, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.`

TRUSS.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 364,738, dated June 14,1887.

Application filed February 1l, 1887. Serial No. 227,257. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE N. TIEELEs, aV citizen of the United States,and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State f NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trusses, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in i trusses for hernia, and itsobject is the production of a truss which may be worn with entirecomfort bythe patient, and the contactball or bearing-point of whichwill retain its position without causing pain during the movements ofthe body of the wearer.

The invention may be embodied in either aA double or single truss, andmay be made electrical, if desired. The contact or pressure ball or 'padis attached by means which permit its adjustment, and hasa controlledspring action, and said contact part is capableof moving with the bodywithout varying the degree of its pressure or its point of contact andwithout discomfort to the patient.

My invention will be more fully understood from the descriptionhereinafter presented,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-I Figure l isa perspective view ot'. a single truss embodying the invention; Fig. 2,a central transverse section through the dotted line c b of Fig. 1, onan enlarged scale; Fig. 3, a front view of my truss-constructed fordouble hernia; and Fig. 4 is a section on the dottedl Vvided at itsouter end with the ellipticallyshaped opening G, and has secured uponit,

vbetween said opening and its pivoted end, the

casing H, which is in the form of a hollow cylinder, vand incloses anauxiliary cylinder, I, the latter being adjustable within .the former bymeans of the screw J, rigidly connected with the cylinder I, and therotary adjusting-nut Veither side of the body, according to the locavtion of the rupture. After the plate E has been properly adjusted, theset-screw M will be tightened, in order to retain the plate in thatposition.

The inner portion of the band A extends beneath the exposed end of the"spring B'and the adjoining portions of the plate E, as shown in Fig. 2,for the purpose of preserving the metal from contact with the body.

In the opening G is placed the contact-pad or part N, which is animportant feature of my invention, and consists of the body O and ballP, the latter being small in proportion to the size ofthe body O, andbeing located in the back of the same. A small portion only of the ballI? is exposed beyond the surface ot the body O, and this portion isprovided with the aperture Q, through which passes the cord of catgut orother material, R, one end of the latter Vbeing secured to the post S atthe end of the plate E, while the other end of said 'cord passes -through the end of the cylinder II and cylinder I, and thence through thecoiled spring T, being then secured to the piston V, which closely hugsthe walls of the cylinder I, and is adapted to have a sliding movementtherein when drawn toward the end of the J cylinder by the cord It, orforced therefrom by the expansion of the coiled spring T.

The inner face of the ball or part N is intended for contact with thebody, and the extent of its pressure thereon may be regulated by theadjusting-nut K, which may be caused to either draw or retract thecylinder I, and thus tighten or slacken the cord It,whichsus tains thepart N, and the tension of which determines the position of the part Nwith relation to the surrounding edge of the plate E and the body of thepatient.' The cord It, being ment in any direction the part N will pre--serve its contact with the body without causing discomfort during allthe variable positions of same. The pressure of the part N on the bodymay be increased or lessened at will by the rotation of the nut I{,asabove described. rlhe inner bearing-face ot the part N may be leftsmooth and plain, as shown in Fig. 2, or may be supplied with a softpad, as illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein IV denotes a cushion ot' felt orother suitable material,covercd with a piece of leather, X, the edges ofwhich extend around the part-N, and are there secured by the metallicband Y, which is passed over thc leather and closely binds the same uponthe sides of said part N. If at any time itshould be desired to replacethe pad on the part N with a fresh pad, this may be very readilyaccomplished, since both the felt and leather will become detached bythe simple removal of the band Y.

The trusses shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 are adapted for single hernia,and any one of them may be used as either a right or left truss, whilethe truss illustrated in Fig. 3 is intended for double hernia, the partN being duplicated and secured by cords It in openings in the plate Z,which will be suitably conformed to comfortably rest against the body,and is provided with the supporting spring-bands ef. The truss may berendered electric, if desired, by merely giving the parts N a zinccontactsurface and the springbands ef a coppersurface. Other metals thanthose enumerated may be employed to form the opposite poles, as will beunderstood.

The opening G in the plate or framelshould be of such size as to permitthe contact part N to have a given universal movement with the motionsof the body without danger of said part rocking over on the reverseside.

In the construction of the truss the ball P may be arranged in positionby being introduced through an opening from the innerside Vhat I claimas my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a truss, the contact part consisting of the body O and the ballI), seated in the back of said body, combined with an open plateencompassing said contact part anda ligament secured at ea-ch end and atits central portion to the said ball, the contact part being free tohave a universal movement with the motions of the wearer, substantiallyas and for the pur' poses set forth.

2. In a truss, the contact part consisting of the body O and the ball I,seated therein, combined with asupporting-framc encompassing said partand a ligament connected with the ball I), and secured at one end tosaid frame and at the other to an elastic tension device, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a truss, the contact part consisting of the body O and the ballI), seated therein, combined with the supporting-frame encompassing saidpart and a ligament connected with the ball P, and secured at one end tothe frame and at the other to a spring-tension device provided withmeans ot' adjustment, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a truss, the contact part consisting of the body O and the bullI), seated therein, combined with the supporti11g-frame encompassing`said part, a ligament connected with the ball P and secured at one endto the frame, the casing Il, inclosed cylinder I, spring T, piston Y, towhich the other end of the ligament is secured, screw J, connected withcylinder I, and the nut K, for adjusting the posi' tion of said cylinderand the tension ot' the ligament, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

Signed at New York, in the county ol' New York and State of New York,this 9th day of February, A. D. 18S?.

GEORG E N. TIBBLES.

Witnesses:

Guns. C. GILL, \V. A. C. Ma'r'rnrn.

